Hydrogen-powered Hyundai owner faces $175,000 fuel cell replacement cost

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【Summary】The owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany has been quoted €104,000 ($175,000) to replace the faulty fuel cell, prompting discussions about the viability of repairing the vehicle. The repair cost is significantly higher than the initial purchase price of the car, causing the owner to question whether Hyundai should take the vehicle back. The ix35 Fuel Cell, produced from 2013 to 2018, had a driving range of 450-500km and was praised for its everyday usability.

FutureCar Staff Aug 29, 2023 6:57 AM PT

Hydrogen-powered Hyundai owner faces $175,000 fuel cell replacement cost

The owner of a hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 in Germany is seeking a replacement for his unconventional SUV after receiving a repair quote of almost 104,000 Euros ($AU175,000) to fix its faulty fuel cell. The repair cost is so astronomical that the hydrogen-powered vehicle will likely be taken off the road.

According to German publication Auto Bild, the car's owner, Till Westberg, had driven approximately 84,000 kilometers in the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell before it failed to start. After having the car towed to an authorized workshop, Mr. Westberg was given a quote of almost 104,000 Euros to repair the broken hydrogen fuel cell.

To put the repair cost into perspective, the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in Australia starts at $175,000 plus on-road costs. With the same amount of money, one could also purchase a BMW M4 manual or a Porsche 718 Boxster.

Mr. Westberg originally purchased the hydrogen-powered ix35 for 50,400 Euros in late-2015. Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to 66,500 Euros ($AU111,500), which is only about 60 percent of the quoted repair cost.

In an interview with Auto Bild, Mr. Westberg mentioned that he bought the ix35 Fuel Cell despite living more than 100 kilometers away from the nearest hydrogen filling station. However, its driving range of 450km to 500km made it "extremely suitable for everyday use."

While Mr. Westberg believes that Hyundai should take back the car, Hyundai's spokesperson stated that "such a repair no longer makes economic sense." The ix35 Fuel Cell was Hyundai's third-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle, produced from 2013 to 2018.

Although the hydrogen ix35 was not sold in Australia, Hyundai's local division had one example of the hydrogen SUV in its press fleet to showcase the technology. They even installed a hydrogen filling station at their Sydney headquarters for owners of all vehicles using this niche technology.

After the production of the ix35 Fuel Cell ended, Hyundai introduced the Nexo, which is currently being used by the ACT and Queensland Governments, as well as the Queensland Police. However, both the Hyundai Nexo and its hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai rival are not available for private buyers and are only offered to government and business fleets on multi-year leases.

Jordan Mulach, a Canberra/Ngunnawal native currently residing in Brisbane/Turrbal, joined the Drive team in 2022. He has previously worked for various automotive publications and is an avid iRacing enthusiast.